Method of and apparatus for sampling cotton



W. D. MALLORY. METHOD 0mm) APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING COTTON.

APPLIBATION FILED Nov. I. 1919;

PatentedSept; 19, 1922 m\ R WE Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

its rr'ls METHOD on Ann nrrnnn'rus non sAmrLINo cor'ron.

Application; filed November 1, 1919. Serial No. 335,221.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DUNCAN MALLORY, a citizen of the United States, residin at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and gtate of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Sampllng Cotton, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to method of sampling cotton and apparatus for practising the method, and has for an object to'provide a method, and apparatus, designed to extract a small amount of cotton from.dif ferent locations within the bale, while the bale is being ginned or formed, and providing means for maintaining thev specimens,

secured from the different locations in the bale, separated into samples for future reference, for the purpose of. disclosing the grade of staple in the different sections of the bale.

As an apparatus, the device comprises a small hand-press into which layers of cot ton, taken periodically during the ginnlng or baling of same, is introduced and after the several samples, from the several positions in the bale, are inserted in the handpress, separated by sheets of paper or the like, the whole is compressed to a reasonable degree and the sample tied, making it'possible to refer to the sample at anytime in the future and determine therefrom the grade of cotton contained in the bale as disclosed at the different locations.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which is made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sample press or a type of apparatus for carrying into effect the process,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken half way-between the ends of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional through the press,

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view,

through the sample bale produced by the press, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspect ve view of a modified type of compression means.

It is the intent in practising the method, to put into the cotton gin or press an amount of cotton, as for instance one hundred pounds of lint cotton, then withdraw from view the cotton as it passes through the gin or as 1t 1s belngplaced within the baling press or from the press itself a small amount of cotton which is laid in the bottom of the sample press and the ginning of the cotton or the filling of the baling press continued. When the baling press contains about one half a bale another sample willbe removed, and after layingsheets of paper upon the sample already contained in the sample press, the second layer will be laid thereon. At a further pointin the filling of the baling press as, for instance, when the press is three-quarters full, a third sample may be removed and similarly treated.

Of course it is'obvious'that any number of samples may be taken from as many sections in the bale while it is vbeing ginned or baled as may be found desirable and after all are formed into a compact mass they are tied for the purpose of preventing displacement. I

Incarrying out the method, a press is employed having a base 10 with uprights 11 and 12, forming a receptacle for cotton which is laid therein as indicated at 13 in Figure 1. Preferably the uprights, and con sequently the receptacles, are divided into twoor more sections and between such. sections is pivoted a lever 14:. In introducing the cotton into the sample press the lever 14 is me depressed position as shown at Figures 1 and 2, and the cotton laid'over the top of such lever into the sections of the receptacle. For each receptacle so formed, a lever 15 is employed, which is hinged to one of the uprights 11 as at 16. Each of the levers 15 carries a follower 17 preferably pivoted thereto. in some manner as by the link 18 to insure the proper positioning and equalization within the receptacle. For each of the levers some means is provided for retaining the follower in depressed position here shown as providing each of the levers 15 with a rack 19 and a detent 20 is pivoted to the base 10. A spring 21 serves to move the detent into an engagement with the rack as the levers are-lowered. The lowering of the followers under pressure of the lever 15 will press and compact the cotton 13 contained in the receptacle. When both of the levers 15 are. in depressed and locked in position the lever 14, which is provided with a reduced or somewhat sharpened edge as indicated at 22, is raised separating the fibers or staple of the cotton between the sections of the receptacleas indicated at 23. Itis desirable that the staple remain as far as practicable in natural condition and be out or broken as little .as maybe in the manipulation. For this reaso'n'lever '14 is lifted slowly enough so -th-at theystaple has time.

and opportunity to separate with but little,

if any, fracturing.

The uprights are also provided with openin'gs 124 Fig. 2 through which twines are passed from balls 26 and-"fafter the samples of cotton in the receptacles have been pressed, which have-been previously laid into the receptacle on' th'e top of suchtwinesythe twines aretie'd a's i-ndicatedat 27', forming miniature bale as indicated at Figure 4' and separated by sheets of material as' indicated at 28, indicating samples of cotton taken from-different sections of the 'merchantable 'bale.-- q

The press is made'i'n'tosections as indicated at Figure l, the number of sections being immaterial to the present invention for the purpose o ipr-odu'cing a plurality of identicalsamp'le bales." 1n the method of sampling, it is the intent that the producer of the'c'o'tton shall retain one sample "for future reference and to'settle any dispute which may arise-as'to the quality' 'oi' the cot-. ton contained in the bale bearingidentifying designations corresponding to theidentifying designation of t ie sample bale. Another of the sample ba'les' will be sent to the mere chant, purchaser, factor,spinner,or the like, but-inore-than "one maybe furnished i-f-t'he conditions of marketing make it necessary or desirable. The use of suchsampleSJt'a ke'n from the bale during the 'baling, will obviate the necessity of tearing the bale's' a'nd their enclosures, in storage, for the purpose of withdrawing samples. therefrom as is done.

in the present practise of sampling.

it is obvious that in addition to the twines 25 and 24 byavhichthe bale is tied, coverings of 'fabric, paper or any sheet material maybe inserted in the receptacles before the cotton is introduced therein so thatthe ties 25 will, not only enclose asample ba'le'but the covering, fabric or the like, aswell', to correspond substantially with *the usual method of baling the cotton inmerchan'table bales'but on a-miniature scale and under less.

compression. In other words, it is the intent to produce at the time of producing the merchantable bale, a plurality ofminiature bales which 'wil'l"di'sclose-the texture of the staple within "the merchantab'leb'ale to'accompany or to otherwise identify and "represent the quality ofthe merchantable ba'le and the presentprocess includes the forming of such plurality'o'f identical sample tales simultaneously with the forming of the merchantable bale by the useofsuch apparatus as "may be necessary "or desirable for the purpose.

Having thus fully described mysaid invention, what I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

. 1- .-The method of sampling cotton consisting in removing samples from various :POI'tlOIlS of thecotton entering mto a merchantable bale, collocating the samples into a mini ati'irebale, providing means for 'bleba le' portions of the cotton entering into its mass and 'col'locati-ng the samples into a minia ture oi? the merchantable bale, the positions'o f "the samples in the miniature bale correspondingflto the positions of the portions of the merchantable bale 'fE-rom which they were taken, substantially as set forth. I 3 4L. 'The'i'nethod *of samplingcotton, fCOIl sisting in removing samples from various portions of the cottonenteringinto 'a *mercharitable bale and col-locating the samples into a miniaturebale with the several samples separated, whereby eac'h sample is "disting'uishable from any otherand" rendered comparable with the portion or the merc'hantable bale from which *it was W i'th-drawn.

=5. The method of sampling cotton consi'sting in 'removingsanrples from various portions of "the cotton entering'int0 a iner:

chantable bale collocating the sample's,-di f v-iding the oo'l loca ted samples into a plurality of identical sect-ions and forming thefse'c tions *into miniature bales, "and providing means to identify each sample with the portion of the mercha'ntal'ile "bale "from which it was withdrawn, "whereby each sample :13 distinguishable from any other and rendered comparable with the portion 'ofthe' merchantable bale from which 'itv was with- 6. The method of sampling cotton con, sisting in 'removingsarnples from" various predetermined "portions o fthe cotton entering into a merchantable bale, collecting-in orde'rthe respectivesamples and interposing sep arating- *elements betweehthem, dividing the collected mass into a plurality of equiva lent sections ands'ecuring e'achseotion into theform ofa miniature bale. I

7. The method of sampling cotton consisting in-removing samples -from various predetermined portions of the cotton entering into a merchant-able bale superposing each sample upon another in the same orderas corresponding portions of said merchantable bale With a separator therebetvveen, dividing the superposed mass into a plurality of equivalent sections and securing the sections into the form of miniature bales.

8. The method of sampling cotton consisting in at intervals removing samples 01 the cotton entering into a merchantable bale laying upon each of the samples so removed a separator-sheet, superposing the successive samples in order corresponding to the parts of the main bale "from which they are taken, compressing the several layers of cotton so superposed With the separating sheets, separating the compacted mass into a plurality of equivalent sections and tying the sections.

9. The method of sampling cotton consisting in taking from the cotton entering into the merchantable bale and as it is being ginned and at intervals during the ginning process samples of the cotton introducing such sample cotton into an apparatus for producing a plurality of equivalent small bales and securing it into miniature bales. 10. The method of sampling cotton consisting in removing from the cotton entering into the merchantable bale as it is being ginned and at intervals, specimens from the cotton entering into the inerchantable bale, arranging the specimens so removed in superposed layers, separating the layers by interposed sheets into distinguishable parts, separating the pack so formed into sections, and tying the sections into equivalent sample bales.

11. The method of sampling cotton consist-ing in removing from the cotton entering into the merchantable bale, as it is being ginned and at intervals during the ginning, specimens of the cotton entering into the bale, laying upon each of the specimens so removed a separator-sheet superposing the next specimen thereon, compressing the several layers of cotton so superposed, tying the compacted mass into a plurality of equivalent sample bales and separating the bales.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Memphis, Tenn, this 23rd day of October, A. D. nineteen hundred and nineteen.

WILLIAM DUNCAN MALLORY. Witnesses:

JOHN W. FARLEY, F. M. BAILEY. 

